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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. I 

^f 'ML | 

UNITED STATES OP AMERICA. | 



A LETTER 

TO 

WILLIAM PENN Esq, 

CONCERNING 

BAPTISM AND THE LORDS SUPPER,. 

AND SOME 

USAGES OF THE QUAKERS; 



JBT THE LEARNED AJYD PIOUS 



HENRY MOORE D. D. 

FIRST PUBLISHED IN LONDON, A. D. 1710 

;,-■■■ ■ ' '' '■ ■ . „ ^ 

s PHILADELPHIA, 

REPUBLISHED BY S. POTTER & Co. 

&0. 55 CHESJTUT STREET, SOLD ALSO BY T. & J. SWGRJiS 
3STEW-XORK, & E. J. COALE BALTIMORE* 

1819, 






ADVERTISEMENT. 

The writer of the following letter was one of those ex- 
traordinary Men, whom a kind Providence occasionally 
lends to the world in order to surprise, instruct and edify 
-mankind. An account of him in Rees's Cyclopaedia con- 
tains the principal points of his history: but a volume would 
be required, to detail the qualities of the gigantic mind, the 
Christian attainments, and seraphic devotion of this wonder- 
ful man: during a long Tife, his conversation was truly in 
Heaven : and if we credit the history of his life written by 
an intimate friend, and exemplary Clergyman, he was indul- 
ged in a singular foretase of the spiritual and future world? 
while labouring with incessant zeal for the eternal welfare 
of his fellow ercaturesin this. 



PREFACE. 

The object of publishing the following Letter at this time 
may, we hope, be justified on the simple ground, that truth is 
precious .• and we believe, that correct knowledge among 
Christians, of each others faith and practice in Church rituals, 
would scatter many prejudices ; increase charity, the true 
badge of disciple ship; enlarge the hearts of many, and event- 
ually promote the. spread of the holy Gospel among infidels and 
heathen nations. Such views certainly ought to preponder- 
ate on so important a subject, and infuence us to conquer 
all firide of opinion, to measure every thing by the standard 
of the divine word, and consider the great importance of 'for- 
bearing one with another" and "keeping the unity of the 
spirit, in the bond of peace " 

The history of the sixteenth Century is a striking evidence 
of the love of God to his Church, when He "broke in pieces 
the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron :" that 
it was not a particular form of Church practice, nor yet the 
force of any human system, which effected this stupendous 
revolution in Christendom; the numerous controversies which 
have existed, even previously to that time down to the pres- 
ent, on these matters, sufficiently prove; and that it was no- 
thing less than the fiure Spirit which searcheth "even the 
deep things of God" and which was and is, blessed be God f 
exhibited in his written .word, which purged away the dross 
and caused light to shine out of darkness at that period. It 
is this Spirit alone, which can now preserve and increase 
that pure and rational piety among men* which is the true 
foundation of all substantial hafipiness, either individual or 
social 

Doctor Afore' s letter to, William Penn, clearly disproves 
what many upright persons, (but whose reading beyond the 
scripture is confined chief y to the religious writings and 



histories of the Quakers,) believe to be facts, namely, thai tlie 
generality of religions professors in the Episcopal Church 
were persecutors of that sect, from motives of worldly inter- 
est or religious bigotry, than which, nothing is more contrary 
to truth : we unfeignedly desire to avoid any useless re- 
marks on the events of those times, but truth, particularly 
in religious matters and conduct, always compensates richly 
an industrious search ; and as a constellation of Worthies at 
that eventful cera in the Church, were regarding the Qua- 
kers with a christian concent, rejoicing with the author of 
the following Letter, in every thing that evinced an enlight- 
ened understanding and Spiritual religion among them ; it 
was then, and yet continues to be, a subject of sincere regret 
with many, that they seem to take a determined stand in 
several peculiarities, which we cannot but believe have oper- 
ated, and must forever operate, to prevent all attainments 
in the Christian race beyond a limited point, and also to de- 
ceive many of them with an idea that their numbers are great- 
ly increasing, when there may be serious cause to fear that 
their living members, those who are actuated by a pure love 
to God, beyond every consideration of life, honour, reputa- 
tion or gain ; and are humbly looking for salvation only thro* 
the merits of a gracious Redeemer, are rather declining: that 
these may become more numerous; that they may deeply 
consider their high calling as Christians ; the dangers conse- 
quent on any, as individuals or a body, conceiving themselves 
to stand on higher ground than others, is the sincere player 
of the editor. With these sentiments he recommends to their 
consideration the subjects embraced in the following excellent 
Letter, subjects which cannot but interest every Christian 
professor, and which of course he trusts will not be deemed 
obtrusive or offensive. 

July 1819. 



A LETTER TO 
WILLIAM PENN $c. 



SIR, 



I HAVE had this long time an intention to write 
to you ; but having this more than ordinary fit oppor- 
tunity of sending, I could now no longer forbear. It 
is to thank you for your visit at my lodging in Pauls 
Church yard, when I was last at London, though I had 
not the happiness then to be there ; and for your kind 
intention of writing to me, and sending me some books- 
But that you did neither, I conceive, was because you 
might be afterward informed, that I had bought the 
very books that you intended to send me, (and it was 
an omission in Mr. Kettilby, that he did not inform 
you so at his shop) and so the occasion of writing ceas- 
ing, you forbore to write. Indeed meeting with the 
little Pamphlet of yours, newly come out, wherein some 
twenty and odd learned and reverend Divines are con- 
cerned, I had the curiosity to buy it and read it : and 
though I wish there were no occasion of these contro- 
versies and contests betwixt those that have left the 
Church of Rome ; yet I found such a taste, both of wit 



A LETTER T6 



and seriousness in that pamphlet, and the argument 
■Was about, to be so weighty, that I was resolved to buy 
all of J. Faldo's, and all of yours, touching that subject. 
But before that little pamphlet, I never met with any of 
your writings : but was the more encouraged to read 
them, when I met with them, by a question G. K.* 
put to me when he was with me at my chamber in 
Cambridge. For I taking the liberty of commending 
his Immediate Revelation^ as the best book I had met 
with amongst the writings of the Quakers, he ingenious- 
ly and honestly asked me, didst thou never read any 
thing of Wm. Penn's ? And I told him, I had not : 
and then he gave me that character of your writings 
that invited me to buy that pamphlet I mentioned 
above, so soon as I met with it in London. But pres- 
ently after G. K. had left Cambridge, I had a strong 
instigation to read over again his Immediate Revela- 
tion, and made some remarks upon the first part of it ; 
which hoping to see him again at Cambridge, at his 
return into Scotland, I intended to communicate to 
him ; and spoke to W. B. on purpose to signifie to him, 
that I should be glad to see him at his return. But it 
seems he was gone back before W. B. was aware ; and 
therefore I have sent those very remarks inclosed to 
you, hoping that you can convey them safe to him, 
with a letter I have writ to him. But upon these occa- 
sions is was, that I had prevented your intended kind- 
ness of sending me those books : I mean those two a- 
gainst John Faldo ; and hold myself as much obliged 
for \our good intention, as if you had done it. 

And now that I have perused them, I cannot but say 
thus much ; that I met with several excellent passages 

* George Keith. 



. 



WILLIAM PENN. 6 

an them, that are very expressive of a. vigorous resent- 
ment, and experience of what appertains to life and holi- 
ness : and that I exceedingly rejoice, that the Quakers 
have emerged above the low beginning of an heartless 
and hopeless Familism, that, quitting the expectation of 
a. Glorious Immortality after this life, quitted also all 
.dependance or relation to our Saviour's person as man , 
believing his soul as mortal as they do the rest, and 
£hat there is nothing surviving of him, but that light 
that was ever, and is common to ail men, the eternal 
Word that lightens every man that cometh into the 
world. I must confess, that I have even an invincible 
suspicion (so far as I can see) that this was the first: 
state of the Quakers at the beginning of their appear* 
ance : touching which, since I have said enough, for 
the present, in my remarks I have sent you, I shall 
give you no further trouble in this point. But being 
of this persuasion, you cannot imagine how much I 
was pleased with my converse w r ith G. K. who so free- 
ly and declaredly affirmed to me, that he (and he put 
in the rest of the Quakers) did heartily believe the 
history of the Gospel in the literal sense thereof ; as 
I find you also express therein, up and down in your 
books. And I am very glad, that the Quakers have 
thus far (since for the present we cannot get them into 
the Church) two such able and faithful guides, to keep 
them within the main verges of Christianity. And, I 
hope, according to the measure of their sincerity, the 
Quakers faith and practice will grow more ample and 
articulate, till they reach, at last, the full stature of 
Christ in the Primitive and Apostolick times. An$ 



€f A Letter tu 

for the nresent, I must confess, that those charges that 
J. Faldo lays against them, though I do but little 
doubt but that they are all true against the Familists 
(from whence the Quakers may spring) yet the Qua- 
kers themselves (if they be all of the same mind with 
yourself and G. K.) are free from the most and chiefest 
of them ; and therefore, so far as I can remember, 
(for I have not J. Faldo here by me) the main differ- 
ence betwixt you and your antagonist, is about Baptism 
and the Lord's Supper ; in which, I must ingeniously 
confess, you seem to me to have given the least satis- 
faction. Your main refuge, as I remember, is this ; 
that neither Christ nor his Apostles instituted, nor ap- 
pointed, either of those sacraments; though Christ cele- 
brated indeed the Lord's supper with his Disciples* 
and the Apostles practised baptizing of believers ; but 
neither are commanded or instituted by either. 

But as for baptism, methinks there is an express 
institution of it, Mark 16. ver. 15, 16. Go ye into all 
the World-, and preach the Gospel to every creature. 
He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved y but he 
that believeth not shall be damned. The institution of 
water baptism here is plainly implied; because less stress 
is laid upon it than in believing : for he that believeth 
not shall be damned : but he doth not say, he that is 
not baptised shall be damned. But if spiritual baptism 
were here looked upon merely and adequately, which 
is regeneration by the Spirit, he that is not baptized 
would be certainly damned : for he that has not the 
spirit of Christ is none of his. Nay, the very believing 
that Jesus is the Lord and Christ, implies the party 
to be baptized with the spirit already j because no man 



WILLIAM FENtf. 7 

can say, that Jesus is the Lord^ljut by the Holy Ghost : 
which is also answerable to the form of speech that calls 
baptism, Lavacrum Regenerationis ; intimating what is 
implied in the baptism of the Spirit, is only our regen- 
eration, by which we are enabled really and cordially 
to believe, and profess, that Jesus is the Lord and 
Christ ; which no man can do but by the Holy Ghost ; 
and therefore it is here said, he that believeth and is 
baptized, shall be saved : where if baptised were not 
water baptism, but the baptism of the Spirit, it were a 
tautology. Whence it is reasonable to conclude, that 
baptizing there is for a sign of their inward Baptism 
of the Holy Ghost, which they have partaken of, where- 
by they believe in the Lord Jesus ; as also for a cere- 
mony of their admission into the congregation of belie- 
vers | accordingly as St. Peter argues, Acts 10. 47. 
Can any one forbid xvater that these should not be bap- 
tized, which have received the Holy Ghost as zvell as we? 
Nor was it needful in the above cited place of Mark, 
that it should be said, he that believes and is baptized 
with water : because the very baptizing implies so 
much ; that being the usual sense of the word with the 
Jews. Nor could our Saviour Christ but foresee, that 
the disciples would understand it so ; which is a sign 
it was also his own meaning. And the disciples of 
John the baptist, (Joh. 3. 26.) declare to him> how jfe~ 
sus whom he bore witness to, baptized; and that all came 
to him : which certainly was with water ; and it was 
the ceremony of the professing themselves the disciples 
of Christ, as appears, John 4. 1. where Jesus is again, 
said fl-M/orac pcSriloie notar 5 $cmVl&V) to make and bap- 
tize more disciples than J^nn j which though it is said 



8 A LETTER TO 

there, he did it not injiis own person : yet being he is 
said to do it, though he did it by others, it is plain 
that they did it by his institution or commission. And 
John does acknowledge to his own disciples, that Jesus 
made and baptized more disciples than he ; and gives 
the reason of it, because he was the Messias, to whom 
the gathering of the people should be ; but that him- 
self was only the fore-runner of him, &c It is plain 
therefore, that the making of disciples to Christ, and 
entring them into his flock by water baptism, is an in- 
stitution of Christ. And from this passage of John 
4f. ver. 1. where Christ is said Trkuwat //.aOjjraV notei? 
£ P>ol7tt-){w, to make and baptise more disciples than 
John, is most easily and naturally understood that pre» 
eept Christ gives to his Apostles, Mat. 28 Go there- 
fore pcStiTtvaoLTi (i. e.) ^aO/jrctV whetTt) make disciples 
of all nations ; (now promiscuously, as you did of Jews 
only at first) baptising them in the name of the Father y 
Son and Holy Ghost : but as you baptized them with 
water then, to bear my name, and to profess themselves 
my disciples ; so now I enjoin the same sacrament or 
ceremony, but with a more explicit form j in the name 
cf the lather, the Son and the Holy Ghost: of the Father, 
the Creator and original of all; of the Son, that is the 
?tlessias, or the Christ of God, in whom the eternal Lo- 
gos became man ; and of the Holy Spirit, by whose illu- 
mination and Sanctification all true believers in the Mes- 
sias, (by virtue of their regeneration through this spir- 
it, which the Messias promised should perpetually as- 
sist his Church) become the sons of God. This is 
the profession that, by the external ceremony of water # 
all nations that were converted to Christ, were to be 



WIILLIAM 1>ENN. 9 

baptized into ; and I think no man will be so extrava- 
gant, as to think that this fornVof words was used with- 
out the ceremony of water baptism accompanying it. 
And there is no baptism now that is available to man- 
kind, but this ; namely, that one baptism that is into 
this one faith, and one Lord, the Christ of God the 
Father ; who has promised all requisite aids of his Spi- 
rit to them that rightly believe in him. And in this 
regard it is said, there is but one baptism 5 because both 
the water baptism, and that of the Spirit signified 
thereby, terminate in this one point ; that is, the profes- 
sion of that one faith, and that one Lord, namely the 
Lord Christ, God and man ; the soul and body of the 
Messias being united with the Logos, and so contin- 
uing as a gracious and powerful intercessor for his 
Church with the Father for ever, according as he has 
promised ; behold I am with you to the end of the 
world. 

Bat though this baptism be truly one, in one respect, 
and that a main one, as I have declared, yet it is not 
absurd in another sense to say, there are two ; namely, 
that of the spirit and that of the water ; Flaminis and 
Fluminis, as some have expressed it. And the author 
to the Hebrews seems to allude to some such thing 
Chap, 6. where he reckons amongst the first rudiments 
or principles of the christian religion, the doctrine of 
baptisms ; this water baptism, and that of the Spirit ; 
plainly acknowledged two in this sense, that one is ex- 
terior and elementary, the other Spiritual and interior : 
but they drive at one thing ; as the sense of a word, and 
the sound of a word, though two things, are counted 
one, they reaching at one and the same mark. 



10 A LETTER TO 

But that the apostles might be the more able adminis- 
trators of this concrete baptism (for any one can do the 
ceremony of water) Christ promised them, within a 
few days he would baptise them with the Holy Ghost, 
Jet. 1. 4, 5. so potent an intercessor should they find 
him with the Father. And that this therefore should 
be the difference betwixt John's baptism and his ; that 
his was mere water baptism in a manner ; but the bap- 
tism to be administered by Christ's apostles and disci- 
ples, though the exterior was water, yet it should, to 
all believers, be accompanied with the baptism of the 
Spirit ; which was accordingly in the apostles time, even 
to miraculous gifts of the Spirit. But that water bap- 
tism was also included in that command, Mat, *8. 
{besides those reasons above alledged) is methinks ex- 
tremely manifest to any indifferent man, in that the 
apostles understood our Saviour in that sense ; witness 
their practice. And that they should understand him 
amiss, even after they had received the Holy Ghost, 
is very reproachful to them, if not to the Holy Spirit 
they received. 

To all which may be added, that the form of words 
in Matthew^ plainly imply, that baptism was to be an 
external sign of admission into the Church, and profes- 
sion of the Author and Finisher of their faith ; namely, 
Christ the Messias, the Son of God ; in reference to 
whom; viz. this Son, the Father is mentioned : as also 
the Spirit ; his illumination, sanctification, and conso- 
lation being promised by the Messias the Son of God, 
to all believers in him. And that baptism is a form 
of admission into the Church and profession of our 
faith in Christ the Son of God, is apparent from 






WILLIAM PENN. 44 

Acts. 10. 48. and other places. But baptism being 
more particularly and especially into the name of Christ, 
there called Kw/>^ it is to be noted ; that those that 
would lay aside baptism, are such especially that would 
lay aside the person of Christ, as the Familists do ; 
I mean such a person of Christ as includes the soul of 
the Messias in it, which the sadducism of the Fa- 
milists cannot admit. Whence the averseness of the 
Quakers from baptism, which commemorates Christ 
the anointed of God, whereas it is improper for the 
mere Logos to be anointed, seems to me to be part of 
the reliques of Familism in them : else, methinks, the 
Quakers standing so much for the Spirit (in which 
they do well, and are highly to be commended for it) 
they should be in love with that excellent form of bap- 
tism, which does so plainly make one part of our pro- 
fession of Christianity, a declaring of our faith in Christ 
for the promise of the Spirit ; and the Almighty power 
thereof, for the destroying and mortifying all sin in us, 
and the renewing us into the glorious image of the 
Son of God : so that he that does not believe this, may 
seem in a manner to renounce his baptism. And there- 
fore they let go a considerable advantage, to oblige men 
to that weighty point of our christian faith, and most 
effectual for the driving on that great design of promo- 
ting Life and Godliness in the world, by laying aside 
this form of baptism. 

And now for the Lord's Supper j that it was insti- 
tuted by Christ, and declared so to be by St. Paul, as 
well as the Evangelists Matthew, Mark, Luke, is evi- 
dent out of the Scripture : for Matth. 26. ver. 26, 27, 
28. there Christ is said to break bread, and to given 



i% A LETTER TO 

to the disciples, and to say; take eat, this zs my body : 
And to take the cup and to say ; drink you all of it, for 
this is my blood of the Nexv Testament, which is shed 
for many, for the remission of sins. And again, Mark 
14. 24. he there calls the cup his blood of the New Tes- 
tament which is shed for many. And the same in Luke 
22. 19. this is my body which is given for you : and 
ver. 20. This cup is the New Testament in my blood 
which is shed for you; where in the former verse touch- 
ing the breaking of bread, he adds, this do in remem- 
brance of me. And lastly St. Paul, 1 Cor. 11. it is 
observable, that he commends the Corinthians (In the 
beginning of the chapter) for keeping the Ordinances 
as he had delivered them to them, raV sracaWe/r ac$u; 
^•a^eWfK oivTote 5 of which, it is plain, the celebrating of 
the Lords Supper is one : ver. 23. For I have received 
of the Lord, what also J delivered to you o x, Trocfi^uKd 
vju'iy : which Trafu'locis ordinance or tradition, is this 
of celebrating the Lords Supper. And he says, he re- 
ceived this ordinance or tradition from the Lord him- 
self; that bread is to be broken and eaten, as a sign of 
the body of Christ broken for us on the cross ver. 24. 
And that we are to do this in remembrance of him, that 
was thus bruised for our transgressions. And ver. 25. 
the like he says of the cup, that it is the Nexv Testament 
(or New Covenant) in his blood ; which he exhorts, as 
often as believers drink of, that they would do it in re- 
membrance of him, whose blood was shed. For ver. 26. 
This is the end of celebrating the Lords Supper ; that 
we may thereby annunciate to ourselves, and all the 
vorldj the endearing sufferings of our ever blessed Sa* 



WILLIAM PENN. 13 

viour (as the Apostle intimates) never antiquating it, 
till he come again, and appear in glory at the last day ; 
not in the form of a sinful malefactor on the cross, but 
as the glorious Judge of the Quick and the dead (as 
the Apostles creed professes) which is the most famous 
second coming of Christ> and most celebrated in the 
Church : and to which I do not at all doubt but that 
of Acts 1. 11. alludes; This same Jesus which is ta- 
ken up from you into Heaven, shall so come in like man- 
ner , as ye have seen htm go into Heaven ; that is, he 
shall come with a visible, personal appearance, and 
with power, and great glory. And that also of He- 
brews 9. 28. makes to this purpose; So Ohrist was 
once offered to bear the sins of many (which oblation 
and passion of his we celebrate in the Lord's Supper) 
and to them that look for him shall he appear the second 
time without sin, unto sahation : that is to say ; not in 
the form of sinful flesh, being made sin for us who knew 
no sin (that is, being made n^, sin or a sin offering) 
but he will come as a glorious Judge of the Quick and 
the Dead ; and will then prove a Saviour to the utmost, 
changing- our vile bodies into the similitude of his glo- 
rious body, according to the working whereby he is 
able even to subdue all things unto himself Phil. 3* 
20. 21. 

Now from all these places of scripture methinks, it 
is manifest, that the celebrating the Lords Supper, is 
an institution from Christ himself: He intimating such 
reasons of it as are permanent, and continue so long as 
Christ shall have a Church upon earth. For he say- 
ing, Mat. 26. Drink you all of this ; for this is my 

B 



£4* A LETTER TO 

Hood of the New Testament (or New Covenant J which 
is shed for many, for the remission of sins : this blood 
of Christ being still in force for remission of'sins ; there 
remains still the same reason for celebrating so great a 
benefit. And the same may be said of that same pas- 
sage in Mark. And besides, in Luke Ch, 22. it is said, 
this is my body which is given for you (namely, as a 
propitiatory sacrifice on the cross) and straightway is 
added, this do in remembrance of me : that is, of me 
who gave my body a sacrifice for you, to propitiate the 
wrath of God, and procure remission of sins. And 
can this be a transient consideration ; and not continue 
as long as the Church ? And remembrance is of things 
past, not of things present ; so that there is not the 
least pretence of laying aside the Lord's Supper ; it be- 
ing a celebrating the endearing passion of Christ past 
on the Cross. And lastly, that of St. Paul, 1 Cor. 11. 
where he having commended the Corinthians for keep- 
ing the ordinances (or traditions) delivered to them by 
him $ anon he mentions this ordinance of the Lord's 
Supper, which he declares, he received from the Lord ; 
which therefore must needs be obligatory to them, and 
to all succeeding generations after them. And the very 
form of words implies so much ; this is my body which 
was broken for you (namely, upon the cross) this do in 
remembrance of me ; that is, of me that was crucified : 
And so of the cup, this cup is the New Covenant in 
my blood; and be sure you never forget it is so, when- 
ever you drink thereof : but be mindful of me, who 
shed my blood for you, that is, died for you, according 
as the Apostle interprets it, vcr. 26. For as often as ye 






WILLIAM *ENtf/ 15 

eat this bread and drink this cup, xo/a/yexxere, you car- 
ry down the commemoration oj the death of the Lord 
till his second coming : to be understood out of the first 
of the Acts, and the ninth of the Hebrews above men- 
tioned. Certainly any one freed from all prejudice, 
and pre-possession of opinion, will easily acknowledge 
this to be the natural sense of these places touching the 
Lord's Supper ; and that the institution thereof is 
grounded upon reasons immutable so long as Christ 
has a Church upon earth. For the ground of the insti- 
tution is the passion of Christ on the cross at Jerusa- 
lem. This alone is mentioned in the institution itself; 
and this we are commanded to commemorate, more 
than once or twice, in the forecited Scriptures. And 
this is of huge importance, for the exciting of our love 
to Christ, and sincere kindness one to another : nothing 
more useful in all the gospel ; and therefore nothing 
less abrogable. For the express ground, alledged by 
Christ himself in the Evangelists, and by St. Paul 
from Christ, in his epistle to the Corinthians, of cele- 
brating the Lord's Supper, is not that it may be a type 
of the body and blood of Christ, in that sense Christ 
speaks of, John 6. but that it may be a commemora- 
tion of his passion on the cross, and of that endearing 
love he showed to us therein, in suffering so shameful 
and painful a death for us : that we may thereby be 
even enforced by an ingenuous sense of gratitude, to be 
content to mortify our own lusts, be it never so pain- 
ful ; and to adhere to our blessed Saviour by an un- 
feigned love, and also to one another according as he 
himself hath intimated, John 15. Greater love hath ne 



16 A LETTER TO 

wan than this, that a man lay down his life for his 
friends. Te are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I com- 
mand you : and this is my commandment, that ye love 
one another as I have loved you. I do in no wise deny, 
but that there is another mystery also included in the 
Lord's Supper, which takes in the bodv and blood of 
Christ in that sense Christ speaks of, John 6. that the 
bread and wine are also types of the celestial Manna, 
the divine body of Christ, and his Spirit; as I have 
more largely described in my remarks on G. K's book : 
which also the office of the communion in our Church 
Liturgy, with great piety and judgment, takes in ; which 
intimates such a Spiritual participating of the body and 
blood of Christ, that we thereby dwell in Christ and 
Christ in us ; that we be one with Christ and Christ 
Tvith us. But it is in the meantime abundantly evident, 
that the ground and reason of the institution of the 
Lord's Supper, specified by Christ himself at the insti- 
tution thereof, is the celebrating his passion : and there- 
fore that ground still remaining ; and besides, an insti- 
tution of Christ being abrogable by no power less than 
Divine ; it is evident, that the celebrating the Lord's 
Supper is not to be laid aside, under pretence that we 
have arrived to that which in one sense is signified by 
the bread and wine, viz. the divine body and spirit of 
Christ. For besides that it is not at all absurd, that 
the sign and the thing signified may continue together, 
(as the Rainbow and the assurance of God's promise 
he will never again destroy the earth by water) that 
other ground, upon which alone the Lord's Supper 
was instituted, still remains entire. Not to add that 
which I noted above, touching baptism, that Peter's ar« 



WILLIAM PENtf. 17 

guing was this ; that because believers have attained 
the thing, therefore they should also receive the sign, 
even water baptism. 

And lastly, whereas it is alledged, that we are not 
to celebrate the Lord's Supper in those outward ele- 
ments of bread and wine any longer than till he come j 
namely in the Spirit : here I demand, what authority 
any one has to make such an exposition, which is so 
groundless and unwarrantable. For it is against all 
reason to interpret it of any other coming of Christ, but 
such as was notoriously known and received in the 
Church from the Apostles time to this very day ; and 
of which, amongst other places, those two above cited, 
Acts 1. and Heb. 9. do witness. But for his coming 
in the Spirit, it has been always, to all true believers, 
ever since he left it ; and with whom he has kept his 
promises, as being the faithful Amen that cannot lie. 
He has, I say, ever sent his Spirit to them to mortifie, 
to sanctifie, to regenerate, to comfort and guide them' 
throughout their life. But if this will be put off, by 
saying it was not in that measure as is hoped for, and 
experienced by some in this age ; even to this it may 
be also said, that they obtain this measure but by de- 
grees, and must have time to grow to the highest j and 
in the meantime, at least the obligation, upon their own 
concessions, will lie upon them to celebrate the Lord's 
Supper in outward bread and wine ; and being there 
will be always in the Church children as well as old 
men, this custom, even upon their own grounds, must 
never cease in the Church forever. Besides that (what- 
ever becomes of their grounds) the grounds our Saviour 
himself instituted it upon, remain unshaken and un- 
alterable, b 2 



iS A LETTER TO 

Wherefore,if I may speak freely without offence, 
what I verily conceive to be true ; this omission of the 
Lord's Supper by the Quakers, is part of that smut of 
Famiiism that still lies upon them. For the coming of 
Christ in the Spirit, with the Familists, is nothing else 
but a trick of infidelity, as touching the personal offices 
of the soul of the Messias, which they think has perish- 
ed with his body, as they fancy of all mens souls else : 
and so being driven to Hobson's choice (if I may use 
so mean a proverb in so 'high a matter) they must either 
profess a coming of Christ according to the Spirit, in- 
ward only, or no Christ at all. And therefore, they la- 
bour hugely to bring back their religion beyond the 
incarnation of Christ, and make it as old as Abraham 
or Adam himself : they acknowledging no other Christ 
than what ever did and ever will enlighten every man 
that comes Into trie world : which cannot be understood 
oi the soul of the Messias, whose incarnation, passion, 
resurrection, &c. is the rise and epocha of the Christian 
religion 5 the renewal whereof is the coming of Christ 
in the Spirit to them, and their acknowledging merely 
the eternal Logos for Christ, which yet is a contradic- 
tion in the very terms. For the eternal Logos is not 
the Annointed, as Christ signifies, but the Annointer ; 
he that imparts to us the unction of the Holy Spirit, 
that teaches us all things. But it is this Logos, in con- 
junction with the divine soul of the Messias, incarnate 
of the Virgin Mary, &c. that is the special object of our 
christian faith ; and which all must believe, that believe 
rthe history of the Gospel j which the Familists do not, 
and so quit all relation or dependance on the person of 
•':hf'istyinthe orthodox sense, and wholly boast oftiie 



WILLIAM rENlST. 19 

coining of him in Spirit, out of a spirit of infidelity 
underneath. But the Quakers, through the goodness 
of God, having emerged to a greater and more sound 
measure of faith, wrong themselves in retaining such 
things as are more natural appendages to Familisra, 
than to their own present state, and more pure christian 
profession. 

But because so great stress is laid upon that passage 
of John ver, 9. The light Uhat lightens every one that 
comes into the worlds which seeming to denote the eter- 
nal Logos only, bears the mind of the Familists, and 
too many of the Quakers too, 1 fear, so high that they 
over-look the noble soul of the Messias, as no part of 
the object of their faith; I will briefly here intimate 
what Iconceive to be the genuine sense of the first part 
of that chapter, to the 14th verse ; such as was sugges- 
ted to me one night after the reading one of your books, 
having taken up my GreeTc testament and impartially 
perusing this former part of this first chapter a little be- 
fore I went to bed ; if haply there be any thing awaked 
on your spirit, that will close with what was so clearly 
and assuredly suggested to mine, which I will briefly 
hint to you, according to the order of the verses. 

The Evangelist therefore having in his mind the di- 
vinity of Christ, as well as his humanity, begins with 
that first ; and in the four first verses describes the Trin- 
ity of the Godhead under these three appellations of 
o Qto( y Q Koy@>) and n^m: which answers to what oc- 
curs in his general Epistle where he says, there are three 
that bear record in Heaven, 6 tt<xtv\ p f 6 xoy^ ? £ 70 ayiov 
snujp&ythe Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost* 



SO A LETTER TO 

to ayiov nnvuLtk there answering to »' fW here in the 
Gospel. And indeed it always seemed strange to me, 
that the Spirit was not here mentioned as well as the 
word. But here it occurs under the name of »;' Zau*. 
If it had been ^X^\ Amelias the Platonist mighc have 
had more evident occasion of that high asseveration of 
his, per Jcvem Barbaras iste cum nostro platone sentit ; 
and of fancy ing the mystery borrowed from him. But to 
show he had it from an higher and more divine fountain, 
the Evangelist puts in the third place, »/ £&>w, not ^v^ ; 
which is by far the more true and proper expression for 
that which is ordinarily called the third Hypostasis ; 
sLuyj? implying a body to actuate, but not §»« ; and 
therefore Jwj) may be eternal but not \£up^ and is else- 
were called the eternal Spirit. But this my intended 
brevity will not suffer me to insist upon. In the mean 
time it is manifest, that n {m> or the Life, is the 
same as the Holy Ghost. And thus far of the Deity, 
as in itself. But in the latter part of the 4th verse, is 
briefly and in general declared, that this Holy Ghost 
was and is to fuf tok wfyajTwrj that eminent Light (or 
illumination) of singular and excellent men (for so ro 
and tqv will by easy criticism imply, those articles be- 
ing used ordinarily to signify eminency) in all tiges and 
places of the world ; according as is declared thereof 
in the book of Wisdom, Chap, 7. 22. for wisdom, there 
described^ the ancient Fathers understand of the Logos, 
or divinity of Christ : and in her there is said to be 
fixutfyairoy mivjAOL (as here ty uvru i fai) which in ah 
ages entring into Holy Souls , makes them friends ofGod^ 



WILLIAM PENN, 21 

and prophets, ver, 23 and 27. These singularly illumi- 
nated souls therefore become the 1-ghts of their respec- 
tive ages and countries ; and are called lights : as Christ 
told his disciples, they xvere the light of the world: and 
he says, John the Baptist was a burning and a shining 
light. And thus the mind of the Evangelist being en- 
gaged in the consideration of concrete light (as I may 
so speak) that is, of noble illuminated souls that have 
come into this world ; he presently fixes on the most 
eminent example, namely the soul of the Messias come 
into the flesh, that most illustrious Light promised of 
God to come in time, and declared by Simeon to be the 
Light to lighten the Gentiles, and to be the glory of the 
people of Israel. Upon this eminent Light therefore 
the Evangelist fixing his mind, considers with himself 
the suscess of his appearing ; and therefore declares in 
the fifth verse, that this eximious concrete light (name- 
ly, the soul of the Messias come in the flesh) that 
this light shines in darkness (still present by the his- 
tory of his life, and personally present before his death) 
but the darkness comprehended it not; i. e. few 
acknowledged him to be what he was ; insomuch that 
he wanted the testimony of John the Baptist, to a- 
waken their slowness of belief. Nay, some of them 
were more inclined to think John the Baptist might 
be the Messias rather than he, as appears from ver* 
19. 20; 21. 

That this is the genuine sense of this 6th verse, is 
manifest from the 6th 7th and 8th verses ; where it is 
plain, that John the Baptist is not compared with the 
eternal Logos, but with the visible person of Christ* 
He was not that Light, but he was to bear witness of 



£2 A LETTER TO 






that Light : as he does ver. 20. and apertiy tells the 
messengers that he was not the Messias, but that Jesus 
was he. ver, 27. Wherefore it is a plain case, that the 
soul of the Messias come in the flesh is the Light men- 
tioned in the fifth verse : and there is no question in 
the world, but that it is the same Light that is mention- 
ed in the ninth verse, because the light mentioned in 
the fifth and ninth verses, is the same that is mentioned 
in the eighth ; which light, being compared with John 
the baptist, must be Jesus the Messias. 

This came into my mind with that clearness and con- 
viction, that I could not resist it; though I was other- 
wise prejudiced against it by our English translation 
and many other translations ; and by my own use of 
this place (either in private letters or my publick wri- 
tings) in a sense that concerned the Logos, not that 
complex of the Logos and the soul of the Messias to- 
gether. And therefore looking upon the Greek Testa- 
ment, I easily found the genuine and most proper and 
chief sense, and such as is coherent with the context 
both foregoing and following, to be this Johns compet- 
itor ; namely, Jesus the Messias, upon whom the Evan- 
gelist had so specially fix'd his mind : he was the true 
Light, who being come into the world enlightens every 
man ; as well Gentile as Jew, according as Simeon de- 
clares, moved by the Holy Ghost ; that the child Je- 
sus was to be a light to lighten the Gentiles, as well as 
the glory of the people of Israel. The gramatical con- 
sideration of this text will bear this sense with all ima- 
ginable easiness ; and the coherence of things necessa- 
rily requires it. 

And hitherto Christ is described but only as the most 



WIILLIAM FENN. 23 

eminent Prophet that ever came into the world ; that 
Prophet that the Lord their God should raise amongst 
the Jews, Acts 3, 22. 

But the five following verses are of an higher strain ; 

and give witness to his Divinity, that he is ©eaVO^arror^ 
God as well as man. Else how could the world be 
made by him, as it is said to be, vcr. 10. even that 
zvorld that knew him not* And his coming to his own, 
ver. 11. may imply his special superintendency over 
the Jews before he took flesh. But then, ver, 12. 13. 
that as many (of the Jews or others) as received him 9 
he should give them the opportunity and power of be" 
coming the sons of God) by recovering the divine nativ- 
ity, and being born again of the incorruptible seed of 
the body and blood of the Son of God (of which he 
speaks, John 6.) that is, to be born of the divine Body, 
and to be enlivened of the {un of the Logos, or eternal 
Spirit, which perfects regeneration to the souls of the 
faithful, by operating on the divine Matter, which it 
unites to the Soul, and actuates the soul through it, as 
the spirit of nature perfects natural generations, working 
on the* common matter of the Universe : this is a pow- 
er attributed to Christ, or the Messias ; so great to- 
wards them that believe in him, that it must needs im- 
ply his divinity also. And therefore it coherently fol*- 
lows, ver, 14. RaJ o hoy®* vdp% lytvtro. For the word 
was made flesh (for xai will easily signifie for) that is 
there being that strict union betwixt the soul of the 
Messias and the Logos, the soul of the Messias taking 
flesh, the Logos is said to be incarnate also : though I 
will not trouble you with seholastick terms to express it, 
nor tire you out with any further enlargement on this 



£4) A LETTER TO 






matter. You will easily perfect the rest yourself, if you 
can close with the main that I have hinted. 

In the mean time, it is very clear to me ; that that 
true Light mentioned, ver. 9. is not (in the chief sense, 
and that which will be coherent with the context) to be 
understood of the mere Logos ; but of the soul of the 
Messias incarnate, and visible person of Christ : who 
being man as well as God, must have an human soul as 
well as a body, to be united to the Logos ; which soul 
being still in being, and in union with the Logos, as 
also with its own glorious body, is our great High 
Priest and Intercessor for his Church with the Father, 
in the Heavens, forever : and that the Christian reli- 
gion, properly so called, doth not loosen itself into so 
general and lax tenure as belongs to the time before 
Christ as well as after ; but is circumscribed and boun- 
ded by the appearance of the soul of the Messias in the 
flesh. Nor doth the Logos enlighten every man that 
comes into the world, otherwise than by having given 
them a natural conscience : which talent, if it be well 
used, then the Zosn> or eternal Spirit, or Holy G^est (as 
St. John calls it in his epistle) may further illuminate 
them. But this is the to <par luv dvfyu7rQV, that super- 
eminent Light of singularly excellent men in whatever 
ages of the world ; a gift common to all true belie- 
vers in Christ, accordingly as he has promised ; that 
he that believeth on him, out of his belly shall Jiow riv- 
ers of living water, John 7, but that every reproof of 
conscience for evil, or motion to good, is the operation 
of the light of the Logos, superadded to the light of 
natural conscience, this 9th ver, of John 1. affords no 



WILLIAM PENN. S5 

countenance to such a mistake in either theology or 
philosophy : nor yet to overlook the human nature of 
Christ, by pretending that every man is enlightened 
immediately by the Divine Logos ; which were all one 
as to affirm, that every one is inspired by the Holy 
Ghost : but the right apostolick faith is not encumber* 
ed with any such needless paradoxes. 

But the main thing of all that I would drive at, is 
this ; that the soul of the Messias united with "the Lo- 
gos, become incarnate, or appearing in the flesh, is that 
super-eminent and true light mentioned in 9th verse of 
the first of St. John's Gospel", and is that universal 
Light intended for all the world, Jew and Gentile, to 
be gathered to : who can no otherwise be a light in this 
sense, but by virtue of the records and history of his 
life and doctrine, and of the lives and doctrines of his 
Apostles ; whom he promised to be with, and to guide 
into all truth, by his intercession with God the Father, 
and the mission of the Holy Ghost. That this Christ 
above described, is so super-eminent and universal a 
Light, and such as all the world, as they have opportu- 
nity, ought to look after, is manifest even to the mere 
natural man, upon the evidence of the history ; That 
this man Jesus was born of a virgin, did stupendous 
miracles in his life, rose from the dead after he was cru-» 
cified, ascended into Heaven visibly in the sight of the 
disciples ; and by his intercession with God the Father, 
poured upon his Disciples according to his promise, in 
a miraculous manner, the gift of the Holy Ghost* 
Wherefore even the mere natural and unregenerate man 
is convincible from hence, that Jesus is a worthy and 
safe guide to follow | as being so eminent a messenger 

C 



&6 A LETTER TO 

sent from God : of which there is this notable useful- 
ness ; that those holy and heavenly precepts of our Sa- 
viour, which are even contrary to the natural man, (as 
self-denial, the unfeigned love of our enemies, and the 
like) though he have no inward principle in him that 
can close with these, as convinced of the loveliness of 
them in themselves ; yet by his common natural reason 
he is so convinced of the excellency of Christs person, 
and that we ought to follow the commands and guidance 
of so excellent a teacher, and infallibly inspired of God, 
that he finds himself obliged to obey these command- 
ments as near as he can ; that is, to abstain for the pre- 
sent (he being able to go no further) from the acts of 
revenge on his enemies, and from satisfying other ape- 
tdtes that are so strong, and so dear to flesh and blood ; 
though the lusts themselves of pride, concupiscence, and 
revenge, still remain, and the external obligation to the 
contrary as strongly urging. And thus being at a loss 
in himself, Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and to day 
and forever (that is, for ever able and ready to procure ■ 
the aid of the Holy Spirit to all that call upon God in 
his name) if he call upon God the Father in faith and 
sincerity, in the name of his Son the Lord Jesus Christ, 
for the assistance of the Holy Spirit to strengthen him 
against all the assaults of sin, to mortify and eradicate all 
inordinate lusts, and to regenerate his soul into the living 
image of righteousness and true holiness; our blessed Sa. 
viour that cannot lie, he has promised, that he will pro- 
cure it for him. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I 
will do it y Jofin 14. And it is the very sense of our bap- 
tism \ which is the profession of our belief in Jesus 
Christ the Son of God, from whom he procures the 



WILLIAM FENN. S? 

assistance of the Holy Spirit to all them that believe 
on him. 

But in the mean time it is very manifest, of what use 
the doctrines of Christ and his Apostles are ; and what 
obligation they ought to have on us, even before we reach 
the sense of their innate worthiness and loveliness by a 
principle of life within, upon the mere external com- 
mand of so divine and infallible a teacher as our Sa- 
viour. For there are three degrees of the divine law 
taking hold upon us, and obliging. 

One is external conviction, when we are indeed con- 
vinced, we ought to follow such a command ; but it is 
only upon exterior considerations ; that is, from the ex- 
cellency and infallibility of the person that commands 
it, and the fear of punishment or hope of reward, which 
is compatible even to natural men and unregenerate. 

The second is internal conviction; when we arrive 
to a discovery that there is an innate worthiness, love- 
liness, and reasonableness in the commands of Christ f 
but yet this conviction is more imaginary and rational, 
than substantial and vital ; but is accompanied, it may 
be, with some rudiments of real regeneration. 

But the third is not only internal conviction, that we 
ought to do, or be so and so, as being the most perfect 
and lovely state ; but that we find it to be our natural 
joy and pleasure, and the very life of our soul and ful- 
lest content of our heart, to be and do as our Saviour 
has prescribed unto us : which is the condition of an 
higher advance in real regeneration ; when the spirit of 
holiness is to us what our natural spirit was, and we are 
made partakers, to this degree of the divine nature. 

But in all these. degrees it is manifest, that the con- 



£8 A LETTER TO 

viction and obligation lie upon us ; and that the Scrip- 
ture is both obligatory and useful to us, even in our first 
state, before experience and real regeneration : Which 
I thought worth the taking notice of; because, if I mis- 
take not, some of the Quakers seem to speak to the 
contrary, and so dishearten men from reading the scrip- 
ture, till they be that already that the scripture drives 
at, if it be not a relick of the Familists, who are as 
afraid of their novices medling with scripture, till they 
be soundly tinctured with the principles of their sect, 
as the Romanists are. And indeed the impartial sense 
of the scripture is even as much repugnant to the one 
as the other ; which makes them both conspire in the 
use of the same artifice. 

These few things were suggested to me upon my 
reading of your books against J. Faldo. But since J 
came hither to Ragley, I had the opportunity of looking 
again into your no Cross no Crown : which I look upon 
as a serious book, and very pious and christian in the 
main ; yet I question how consistent it is, in some 
points, with that generosity, and freedom, and charity, 
and kind complacency, that one would think did natu- 
rally accompany a truly christian Spirit. The great 
and royal Law, which is to measure all our christian 
actions by, is ; Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with 
all thy heart, and all thy soul; and thy neighbour as thy- 
self. And one point of our love to our neighbour is, 
not to give him offence ; but to comply with him in 
things of an indifferent nature ; as all things are, that 
are not of their own nature evil, (and such are all those 
things that are what they are, or signify what they sig- 
nify, by use and custom, and not by nature) unless seme 



WILLIAM PENN. %$ 

divine law, or the law of our superiors, has bound us? 
But no law, neither divine nor human, has bound us, 
but that we may say you, when the Quakers say thou % 
to a single person. Nay, custom, which is another na- 
ture and another law, and from whence words derive 
their signification, has not only made you to signify as 
well singularly as plurally (as the verb love doth, in 
I love, and we love ; when as the Latins say, ego amo^ 
nos amamus) but has superadded a signification of a 
moderate respect used in the singular sense ; as it has 
added to thou, of the highest respect and reverence 
(for no man will you God, but use the pronoun thou 
to him) or else of the greatest familiarity or con- 
tempt. So that the proper use of you and thou is set- 
tled by a long and universal custom. And words sig- 
nifying nothing of themselves, but as custom makes 
them (whence scrtpshnus and can?mus } or the like, usu- 
ally signify no more in latin writers, than scripsi and 
cano ; and the very Greek grammar explains hi uju<pl 
"ZuxpoLTiYf i. e. Socrates') there is not only no intrinsick 
evil in the using them in that sense custom has put upon 
them ; but a great deal of christian kindness and char- 
ity in taking heed how we give unnecessary offence 
to our neighbour, by using such a word as use has 
made significative of over-much familiarity or con- 
tempt; which would be like the calling of a person of 
honesty and quality knave, because knave at first had 
no reproachful signification. This short hint is enough 
for a business of this nature. 

And now for Cap-honour and Titular respects. The 
not complying in these things moderately and unaffec- 

c 2 



30 A LETTER TO 

tedly, methinks is less Christian, If the apostles could, 
comply with the Jews in some Mosaical rites, that the 
coming of Christ had abrogated, that they might give 
no offence to the Jews ; how much more ought chris- 
tians, for the avoiding of offence, comply with one ano- 
ther in such customs as no law, neither human nor di- 
vine, has yet abrogated? And such is Cap-honour 
and Titular respects. 

For the first is but a thetical or customary «xpres- 
sion (and therefore of a nature indifferent) of that res- 
pect we bear to creatures of our own mould and shape ; 
whose blood, as it is not to be shed ; so their persons 
are not to be slighted but to be respected : For in the 
image of God made he man, Gen, 9. 6. and as the Turks 
bow to one another, so we put off our hats j but they 
both signify the same thing, a kind inclination and rea- 
diness to serve one another. 

And as for titles ; they are usually significative of 
either offices, or orders, and dignities in a kingdom : 
and if there be these distinctions of orders and dignities 
in a body politick, why may there not be names to them ? 
And if they have names, why may they not be called by 
them ; and it is as natural in a body politick, that there 
should be different ranks and orders of men, as in the 
natural there should be of members. So that the slight- 
ing all these things must needs be a riddle to the sober. 
It is not a thing long to be insisted upon : and yet I 
cannot omit to speak something of the places \ou al- 
ledge for the practice of the Quakers. The chief are, 
Mat. 23. v. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. John 5. 44. 
James 3. 1. which are alledged under reason XIII. 

To that of Matthew I answer ; the 5th 0th and 7th 



WILLIAM PENX. #1 

verses are no declaration against titles, or orders, and 
precedency $ but against the being of so vain and proud 
a mind, as to please themselves in them, and affect them ; 
which is a sign of a vain, empty spirit. In which sense 
also the Sth verse is to be understood ; but be not ye 
called rabbi ; that is, do not affect that title and pride 
yourselves in it, as the Scribes and Pharisees did. But 
this is not against the calling others Rabbi, Master, or 
Doctor ; but the being so called ourselves. And the 
words following in this verse, which gives the reason 
of the precept, plainly insinuate that to be the sense ; 
for one is your master ; or you have one only, master, 
^o&tyyTw, teacher or guide, and that is Christ? and you 
are all brethren, that is fellow followers, or disciples of 
his according as St. Paul expresseth himself; be ye 
followers ofme, as I am of Christ ; so far and no far- 
ther. Which therefore seem a prophetical caution 
against those infalliable dictators of new forged articles 
and useless forms and opinions, which Christ foresaw 
would sometimes be brought into the Church, by them 
that would pretend to have power to obtrude upon eve- 
ry conscience such things as are not the teachings of 
Christ and his gospel ; but against express scripture, 
and the indelible notions of truth, that Christ the eter- 
nal Logos has implanted in the souls of all men. Which 
prophetical caution is further carried on in the very 
next verse, ver, 9. and call no man Father upon earth ; 
which cannot be understood of father in a civil or natu- 
ral sense, (for then it would not be lawful for a son to 
call his father, father) but that no Christian is to admit 
any one so to be his Spiritual father, as to give be- 
lief to him, or obey him, in such instructions and com- 



%% A LETTER TO 

mands as are contrary to the instructions and commands 
of our Heavenly Father, the Father of lights , and giver 
of every good and perfect gift. Nothing is more fre- 
quent in the mouths of the Romish Laity to their priests 
and confessors, than Mon Pere, my Father ; who under 
pretence of this reverend title, are blindly led by them 
into all superstition and idolatry, and are hindred from 
seeking the truth. And indeed the whole christian 
world, in a manner, is oppressed and prejudiced by a 
superstitious awe from the names and opinions of sev- 
eral ancient writers, that have got the titles of Fathers ; 
whose authority must stop mens mouths, and obstruct 
their free enquiry into truth, and our assent to it, eviden- 
ced by the clearest reason and scripture, if any determi- 
nation of these fathers seem to contradict it. But here 
we are forbid by our Saviour Christ, in this sense, to call 
any one father upon earth ; and to give no ear to their 
instructions and commands, further than they agree 
with the mind and will of our Heavenly Father revealed 
to us by his Son Jesus Christ. The 10th verse is very 
like the 8th verse. But Kahyrflhr, answering to Rabbi 
in the 8th verse, and Rabbi signifying as well Magnus 
as Doctor or Magister ; that it may not seem a tautol- 
ogy, this is a prophetical caution against the affected 
grandeur and princeliness that Christ foresaw would in 
time be affected in the Church (wherein the ordinary 
slight civility of calling Mr. such a one, and Mrs. such 
a one, I conceive, is little concerned) intimating there 
ought to be no dignities in the Church, but such as im- 
ply an office correspond~ntly onorous and laborious : 
which is imply'd in the 11th verse ; that he that ascends 
the highest in these dignities, if he have them upon the 



WILLIAM PENN. 33 

due terms he 'ought to have them, he will thereby be- 
come the greatest servant, and have the most laborious 
task of all. And the 12th is a prophesy of the downfal 
of the man of sin, who has so many years endeavoured 
only the magnifying himself, and exalting himself, but 
not the kingdom of the Lord Jesus. 

To John 5. 4&. How can ye believe, that receive 
Jionour one of another, and seek not the honour that com- 
eth from God only ? To this I answer, that this con- 
cerns not cap honour and titular respects ; but the 
esteem and opinion they had of one another, whereby 
they were bolster'd up against the testimonies and wit- 
nessings of Christ : they would not confess Christ, nor 
entertain him, because they loved the praise of men more 
than the praise of God, John 12. 43. 

As for that of James 3. 1. My brethren, be not many 
masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater con- 
demnation. The greek has it, py tfoxkq) lildtrxoikoi yivtcdt, 
be not many teachers : what does this therefore respect, 
either cap-honour, or titular respect ? But 'tis a sober 
monition, that men should not out of a rash self conceit 
take upon them to be teachers of others, before they be 
fit for such an employment. For in many things, says 
he, 7r]ouo(Atv a.7rM7i/; ? we all offend, (or stumble like 
men in the dark) and he's a perfect man indeed that 
trips not in his tongue : and so he goes on discoursing 
of that instrument, showing what dangerous use there 
is of it, in setting all on fire, in schism and dissention 
in the Church ; and concludes with an encomium of 
that wisdom which is from above, that makes an able 
teacher; that it is first pure, then peaceable, &c. 

Those scriptures alledged under reason XIV, an4 



34 A LETTER TO 

XV. are these, 2 Sam. 14. 14. Acts 10. 35. Eph. 6. 
9. t?0/. 3. 25. James 2. i>6T. 1, 2, to the 11th verse. 
Job 32. 22. Revel. 22. 8, 9. 

To the four first of these, there can be nothing con- 
cluded ; but that God is no respecter of persons, but re- 
wards every one according to his work. But that he 
calls none by their titles, or commands us so, is not 
true : For in one place he says, / said ye are Gods ; 
which is an high title : and the word of the Lord to 
Jeremie is, chap, 13. 18, say unto the King and to the 
§>iieen. But your most material place is that of James 
2. but yet, nor does that reach the present controversy. 
For it is not against Cap- honour, which the rich ordi- 
narily do to the poor, as well as the poor to the rich ; 
nor against Titular respect ; but against an ur.righteous 
valuing and prefering a gaily deck,d unbeliever, and 
that in an holy assembly (etc rir vwayayh v/auy) before 
a poor brother rich in faith. This is that 7rj>o<ro7rM^ix 
condemned in verse 9th ; that they will so industrious- 
ly, and with such a deal of do, disturb the congregation, 
for the preferring a man with gay apparel and a gold 
ring on his finger, before a poor brother rich in faith, 
and an heir of the kingdom of Heaven ; and that in the 
time of holy worship, or of their holy assembly, where 
the poor man, rich in faith, hath so much the pre-emi- 
nence before him with the gold ring and gay apparel. 
But abroad, and in civil affairs, the case will be altered, 
if his civil quality answer to his clothes. This intima- 
tion shall suffice for that of St. James. And as for Job 
32. 22. For I know not to give flattering titles^ in so do- 
ing my Maker would soon take me away ; it is evident by 
the following chapter, that flattering titles are not there 



William penn. 25 

the titles of Master, Sir, and the like ; but the titles of 
Just, of Innocent ; they are what Elihu, out of con- 
science, could not give to Job; as appears, ver 12. behold 
in this thou art not just} &c. And lastly, as for Rev, 22. 
it is manifest, it little concerns Hat-honour and Titular 
respects. For it was so profound a prostration of him- 
self which John was about, and so near approaching to 
divine worship, and that height of humble affection which 
we owe to God only, that the Angel espying it in John's 
countenance, forbade him to go on in that intended wor- 
ship, more fit for God than any creature ; and therefore 
he adds, worship thou God. But what is this to hat 
honour and titular respects, calling Sir, or Mr. and the 
like , and moving the hat decently and unaffectedly ? 

Wherefore, I conceive, there is no ground in scripture 
(as I am certain there is not in reason) for this scrupu- 
losity in the Quakers about hat-honour and titular res- 
pects | though they may conscientiously behave them- 
selves as they do, out of ignorance and mistake : being, 
as I do vehemently suspect, abused into it at the first, 
by some enemies to the reformation, to make the up- 
shot of it look as ugly and unpleasant as they could : 
which I will forbear to speak of here, having intimated 
enough in my remarks on G. K's Immediate Revelation^ 
which I send you. 

But as for the rest of your no Cross no Crown^ it is, 
in the main, very sober and good ; though it may be 
over-strict in some things, but not unuseful to some sort 
of men. But to those that are sincere, Christ and the 
written gospel will be their faithful guides in all things. 
And as for your other two books against J. Faldo ; 
whatever passages there be that may not be agreeable 



36 A LETTER TO 






to my sentiments, you will easily perceive of what na- 
ture they are, by perusing my remarks upon G. K's im- 
mediate Revelation. But there are sundry passages, in 
those two books of yours, very nobly christian j and for 
which I have no small kindness and esteem for you, 
they being testimonies of that which I cannot but high- 
ly prize wherever I find it. And I wish the Quakers 
would disincumber those excellent things they profess, 
and give witness to, from such things as make them 
seem so uncouth and ridiculous : that the most excel- 
lent things of the gospel be not slighted, condemned or 
suspected by men, through the oddness and indiscretion 
of such as seem the most zealous professors of thenu 
This intimation is not altogether unlike that of Paul to 
Timothy ; Let as many servants as are under the yoke, 
count their masters worthy of 'all honour , that the name of 
God and his doctrine be not blasphemed : which monition 
of the Apostle by analogy will reach a great way ; and 
one of your sincerity and parts will easily improve it. 

I have nothing more for the present to add ; but that 
the trouble I have given both you and myself, in wri- 
ting this letter, is from mere kindness and good will ; 
and that I hope you will take it so : and therefore com- 
mitting you to God, and the gracious guidance of the 
Spirit of his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ j I take leave 
and rest, 

Tour affectionate Friend 

to serve you-^ 



A LETTER ft 



TO £ 

WILLIAM PENN Esq, j| 

CONCERNING Hr 

BAPTISM AND THE LORDS SUPPER, |l 

&, 

AND SOME gp. 

USAGES OF THE QUAKERS; W 

£F TffiS LEARNED AND PIOUS W* 

HENRY MOORE D. D. fe 




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